


i don't wanna think of anything else (now that i thought of you)

by ifthebookdoesntsell



Series: darling just look beside you (i'll go with you anywhere) [3]
Category: Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Janis is so in love, Rejanis, Smut, This was supposed to be soft, and then it just, honestly they're just in love with each other, proposal, so there's slight angst, they also get in a fight, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:53:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25407958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifthebookdoesntsell/pseuds/ifthebookdoesntsell
Summary: “Yes?” Regina mumbles, turning to glance at the kids to make sure that nobody is looking at them. “Something you need?”“I kind of want to hold your hand right now,” Janis whispers back.Regina giggles. “According to Jack, only married people hold hands, baby.”“Guess we’ll have to get married, then, huh?”The words leave her mouth before she can stop them. They just seemed like the right thing to say, and--Regina flushes, looking away, and Janis realizes what she just said, how crazy, how stupid. She was only kidding--Well, mostly, kidding--(Or, the four times where Janis keeps sort of, accidentally, kind of asking Regina to marry her, and the one time she asks her for real.)
Relationships: Regina George/Janis Sarkisian
Series: darling just look beside you (i'll go with you anywhere) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1840216
Comments: 18
Kudos: 105





	i don't wanna think of anything else (now that i thought of you)

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all. i know; i know, my multi-chaps. i'm working on them! i just found this trope on the tvtropes site, and i couldn't get the idea out of my head, and i knew that it would fit into the universe of "my confidence wavers (when you walk in the room)." here's my take on the trope. 
> 
> i hope that you enjoy and this provides some levity to what is a scary world right now. 
> 
> as always, stay safe out there. 
> 
> (title from daylight by taylor swift)

_one_. 

It’s not serious. Not the first time. 

Regina and Janis are volunteering at the Northshore community center for the arts portion of the town’s summer camp, and everything feels sweet and easy, even as they try to wrangle a bunch of nine year olds who are either there because their parents made them or because they’re aspiring artists. 

They’ve been the teachers for the past two weeks, bonding with the kids, showing them how to properly mix paint (Janis had to tell several of them not to mix it with their hands), and instructing the more serious ones on shading with the nice set of pencils Regina brought from her personal supplies at work. 

They both are having a really good time watching the kids learn and become curious, but, currently, Janis really wishes she was anywhere else, even at the gym. It’s an innocent question, but it still catches her off guard as she’s trying to teach the young, inquisitive girl in front of her how to write in a cartoon-like font for her superhero drawing. 

“Are you and Ms. George gay for each other?” 

Janis chokes on her saliva, coughing roughly. 

“Excuse me?” she asks, shocked. “Rebecca, where did you… how did you--” 

She swallows, trying to gain back her breath. She wishes Regina were next to her to respond to the question delicately, but she’s on the other side of the auditorium trying to pull a paint tray away from two kids that are fighting over a specific blue. 

Rebecca taps Janis again. She doesn’t seem to be bothered by Janis’ unintelligible answer, tucking her hair behind her ear and continuing to shade her letters. 

“I saw you kiss Ms. George goodbye yesterday, and then I asked Audrey about it and she said that she has two uncles that are gay and that they kiss and work together a lot. But _then_ , I asked Andrew and Jack, and they said that you can’t like each other because people only kiss if there’s a boy and a girl.”

_Shit._

Janis breathes in through her nose and out though her mouth, searching for some kind of cop out. There isn’t one. 

“The thing is, Rebecca,” Janis says carefully, grasping for words as she goes. “Andrew and Jack are wrong about that. People can kiss even if they aren’t a boy and a girl. Besides, gender isn’t binary… it’s a spectrum. People who don’t feel like any gender can be in love with each other. Boys can be in love with each other, and girls can be in love with each other too. They can kiss, and they can get married and have kids if they want. And if they do exclusively like the same gender as them, then that _is_ called being gay, if that’s the label the person wants. ” 

Rebecca turns to her curiously. “So are you?”

Janis pretends not hear the first time, motioning for her to hold on when, thankfully, she sees one of the kids splattering paint onto his canvas with the wrong side of the paintbrush. She rushes over to him, glad she has a way to artfully side-step the end of the conversation. 

She’s red. She knows it. 

It’s not that kids shouldn’t know. It’s that they’re _nine,_ and she’d never considered what it would mean for her to have to explain gender and sexuality to somebody for the first time. 

She catches a glimpse of Regina on the other side of the room, trying to make eye contact with her, but the woman is busy monitoring to make sure none of the kids try to have a paint fight. She still looks just as good as this morning, her hair falling in gentle waves over her shoulders and her blue eyes sparkling. Janis honestly finds it unfair. She watches that way Regina walks, her confidence and her tan skin-- 

_Okay._

She is _very gay_ for Regina. 

Janis takes another breath in through her nose, running her hand over her face and praying her blush isn’t too obvious. She hopes none of the kids saw the way she was looking at Regina. 

She shakes herself out of it. By tomorrow, Rebecca won’t even remember.

***

Rebecca remembers. 

Regina is taking attendance, walking around the room with a smile on her face and saying hello to all the kids and their parents. Loud voices are tangling together as the children flood in, some of them hanging off of Janis’ arm while others scramble for Regina’s attention. Janis likes to look at Regina like this, her grin sparkling and her eyes shining as she fist bumps all of the little campers that walk in the door with their backpacks on that are just the slightest bit too large for them. 

It’s the most beautiful thing Janis has ever seen. 

Her eyes are still on the blonde when Regina finally checks off all the kids and tells everyone they have five more minutes to hang out and get their supplies before the camp day will officially start. She strides over to Janis, her eyes alight with mischief. 

“Hey,” she murmurs. “Weren’t you supposed to finish an example five minutes ago?” 

Janis blushes, but she’s also extremely aware of how obvious her staring was, so there’s no point in fighting. 

“I think I got a little bit side tracked.” 

Regina raises an eyebrow at her, smirking. “Is that so?”

“Maybe,” Janis whispers back, the corner of her mouth quirking up. “You wouldn’t be able to focus either if your girlfriend was super hot and good at art.” 

“Sounds a lot like this awesome girl I’m dating,” Regina hums back. 

“Wow, babe,” Janis chuckles quietly. “That was smooth.” 

Regina giggles, looking down shyly and tucking her hair behind her ear. Janis smiles, watching the pretty flush that spreads over her girlfriend’s cheek, her eyes roving over her face, but then-- 

“ _See?_ I’m right!” 

All of the children have sat in their seats, and they’re still yelling and talking to each other, but Rebecca’s voice carries even as she tries to whisper to Audrey. Janis hadn’t thought about her conversation with the nine year old yesterday, and she only has time for her mouth to drop open before Rebecca turns to Regina. 

“Ms. George?”

Janis tries to bypass the situation. 

“Okay! Why don’t we start the day?” she starts to say. “Here's my example that I’ve almost finished--”

Regina stops her. “One moment. Rebecca, did you have something you wanted to ask?”

“Yeah!” Rebecca replies cheerfully, unfazed by Janis’ attempt to avoid the question. “Are you and Ms. Sarkisian in love with each other?”

Janis lets out a shaky breath, trying to stop herself from choking on air when all of the campers’ eyes turn to her. 

For a second, alarm passes across Regina’s face, her blue eyes going wide and a fiery redness spreading across her cheeks. She rubs a hand over her forehead, formulating her thoughts before she looks at the little girl and smiles. Janis can’t help but stare at how _gorgeous_ she looks. 

“Yes, we are,” she confirms. No use beating around the bush. “What made you realize that?” 

“I saw you guys kiss!” Rebecca grins up at Regina, pride written across her small features. “And then I told Audrey about it. And Audrey said that her uncles were gay, and apparently they kiss _all_ the time. So then, I thought that you two had to be gay too.” 

Regina nods her head at her, reaching her hand out for a high five. 

“That’s pretty genius of you to figure out.” 

Another boy, Chris looks up in confusion. 

“You guys kiss?” he asks. 

All of the campers giggle. 

“Yes, Chris,” Regina says kindly, still beaming. “When you like somebody like I like Ms. Sarkisian, you can kiss them.” 

“Okay,” he replies, shrugging. 

Janis can’t help but feel her heart melt at how easily he accepts it. It makes her wish adults were this way. 

“I tried to ask Ms. S yesterday,” Rebecca pipes in. “But she wouldn’t tell me.” 

“Well that’s not very nice,” Regina teases, looking over at her girlfriend, a smirk playing on her lips. 

Janis blushes furiously, tapping her foot. 

“I was trying to help everyone,” she tries to say. “We were almost at the end of the day and I--”

She looks at all of the children staring at her, thinking it silly that she feels flustered in front of them, but the questions only keep coming. 

“Do you hold hands?” Jack interrupts, looking between Regina and Janis, wrinkling his nose. “What about cooties?” 

Another girl, Ali turns to him wisely. “That’s why only married people hold hands.” 

“Maybe Ms. S and Ms. George are married,” Rebecca replies swiftly. “Besides, my sister has a boyfriend, and they hold hands all the time. Obviously, they’re not married!” 

Jack looks skeptical. “I don’t think so,” he whispers to her, but his voice sounds unsure. “I also think only married people hold hands--” 

“ _Let’s move on,”_ Regina interrupts with a somewhat forced laugh. “We have a cool origami diorama project planned for today, doesn’t that sound fun?”

She doesn’t give the kids time to protest, moving to explain the activity and divvying up the supplies between the tables. She looks nervous, and Janis loves it, tiptoeing over to her and placing a hand on her girlfriend’s lower back. 

“Yes?” Regina mumbles, turning to glance at the kids to make sure that nobody is looking at them. “Something you need?” 

“I kind of want to hold your hand right now,” Janis whispers back. 

Regina giggles. “According to Jack, only married people hold hands, baby.” 

“Guess we’ll have to get married, then, huh?” 

The words leave her mouth before she can stop them. They just seemed like the right thing to say, and-- 

Regina flushes, looking away, and Janis realizes what she just said, how crazy, how stupid. She was only kidding-- 

Well, _mostly,_ kidding-- 

Janis is grateful that Regina recovers before she can make more of a fool of herself. 

“In your dreams, Ms. S,” Regina murmurs to her, jokingly shoving Janis’ arm gently. 

Janis laughs softly, brushing her hair out of her eyes with her fingers. 

“Actually, I think it’s in _your_ dreams.” 

Regina snorts quietly, but she looks so _sweet_ and embarrassed-- 

They’re broken out of their spell when one of the girls accidentally steals another’s paper, and an argument is on the rise. Regina grabs Janis’ wrist for a second, smiling at her, and then she pulls away to get both of the campers new purple paper. 

***

On Friday, just before the camp week ends, Rebecca taps Janis on the arm so that she can say goodbye. 

She reaches up for a fist bump, and Janis returns the movement, smiling down at the girl. “I’ll see you next summer, kiddo. Don’t forget to practice your shading.” 

Rebecca nods eagerly, rushing forward to hug Janis. She speaks, her voice muffled by the fabric of the woman’s flannel. “I think that when we’re bigger I’ll wanna to hold hands with Audrey,” she whispers. “That’s okay, right?”

Janis grins. “That sounds awesome. Be sure to let me know when you tell her, okay?”

Rebecca clutches her shirt harder. 

***

_two._

They’re drunk. 

Well, on their way to drunk is probably a more accurate statement, and both Regina and Janis are growing more and more loose-lipped by the second. 

Janis knows that the smarter decision would have been to leave the half finished bottle of wine in the fridge for tomorrow, but it’s Friday night, and Regina had gotten back from work early and thrown off her shirt the second she was in the door, looking pretty and sweet and smug, and Janis-- 

Janis isn’t known for her strength of her will. 

Which is how they ended up in bed, passing the bottle of wine between them just like their first kiss, drinking directly from it. Regina is sitting between Janis’ thighs, leaning her head against her shoulder while her fingers trace patterns over Janis’ hands. She isn’t doing anything on purpose, but with every passing minute, Janis is closer and closer to wanting to take her boxers off, wanting to press her girlfriend into the mattress; it’s really hard to focus when Regina is so _beautiful_ , and half-naked, and lounging against her-- 

Janis takes another sip of wine just to have something to do, passing it easily to Regina who takes a generous swig before speaking. “Let’s get a cat.” 

Janis does a double take. 

“Excuse me?” 

“A cat,” Regina repeats. “Let’s get a cat.” 

Janis bites her lip to hold back a smile. “We’ve discussed this before.” 

Regina shakes her head, turning to nose at Janis’ neck. “Think about how nice it would be-” Janis’ hands begin to wander, moving up over Regina’s abs- “we could go to the animal shelter near your studio. We could rescue someone who's been lost, bring it back and give it a home.” She sighs, swallowing harshly as Janis’ hands wander lower, down to the scrap of lace that Janis firmly believes barely qualifies as a pair of panties. “We could build a nice area in the living room. We could cuddle it while we watch movies. I know we work a lot but-- _oh, babe—”_

Regina’s voice pitches up into a sigh as Janis trails lazily over the crease of her thigh. 

“‘Gina,” she murmurs. “Is it really necessary to talk about this right now?” 

“ _Yes, it is,”_ Regina replies, but her breath stutters as she presses back into Janis’ touch involuntarily. “I know that you’re trying to make me forget about my idea.” 

“I’m not,” Janis replies with faux innocence, her fingers continuing to move. “If you want to talk about it, then we can.” 

She forces Regina’s thighs further open, dragging her free hand up to cup Regina’s chest. 

“ _Jay--”_

Janis kisses her girlfriend’s shoulder, nipping gently. “Yes, baby?” 

“I just think we should rethink what we said,” Regina rushes out. “ _Oh God--”_ Janis thumbs over Regina’s clit, laughing quietly when the blonde breaks out into shivers. “You’re not playing fair,” she whines. 

“You’re just so beautiful,” Janis mumbles, kissing at the spot behind Regina’s ear. “I can’t keep my hands still, knowing that I’m allowed to touch--”

“ _Baby--_ ” Regina breathes in deeply, trying to retrieve her train of thought. “You’re beautiful too. I just need--” The blonde pauses for a second, attempting to collect herself, and Janis is almost positive that Regina is going to just let her touch her, but then her girlfriend shakes her head and pulls both of Janis’ hands from her body. “Just let me talk for a _few_ minutes.” 

She pulls away from Janis, and Janis is ready to complain until suddenly, she has a lap full of Regina, her girlfriend’s chest in her face. 

“Well, hello,” she says with a smirk, and Regina swats her. 

“Incorrigible,” she groans. “Just focus for two seconds, okay? If you behave well, I’ll let you have what you want.” 

Janis doesn’t miss a beat, looking up at Regina’s face. 

“And here I was under the impression that you’re the one who likes to be good for me.” 

Regina’s breath catches at the words, but she refuses to give in, balancing herself on Janis’ shoulders as she straddles her girlfriend’s thighs more comfortably. She takes a deep breath, forcing herself to be serious. “Let’s get a cat together.” Janis grins at her. “I really want to! I don’t care how old, what kind, or anything like that. I just want to get one with _you_.”

“You’re really adorable,” Janis says quietly, and Regina silences her with a kiss. 

“I want a cat with you,” she repeats. “And I know we travel, we work, we aren’t at the apartment or together as much as we’d like during the big business months, but I know that we can make it happen. We can have Damian or Gretchen and Karen watch it, or one of us can take it with us. We can get a house with more space. Maybe on the lake—“ 

Janis looks up at her, eyes wide. “A house on the lake?” 

Regina smiles down at her. “Yeah. It could have a studio for you and an office for me. I think two stories would be nice.”

She brushes her lips over Janis’ forehead.

“We could put your paintings on the walls, and we could have a nice closet filled with pencils and paint and paper.”

She kisses Janis’ cheek.

“And we can have our cat, or maybe even two, and they can sleep at the foot of our bed and go outside onto the deck that we would build in the backyard.” She lowers her head to tongue at Janis’ neck. “You and I can lie on the deck, draw and sketch there and go swimming in the lake. We could get a hot tub.” Janis lets out the quietest sound of appreciation at the image of Regina in a bathing suit, and the blonde laughs quietly. “We could really break in the house, have sex in every single room—“

Janis’ hips press up at the thought, and Regina sighs, her voice higher as she makes a confession.

"I want to wake up next to you, bring you coffee, want to tell our kids to go play with the cats, to set the table. I want to watch the sunrise with you. That’s my dream.” 

Janis’ body is on fire, and it has nothing to do with the heater that’s on in the house. “You want all of that-“ she breathes in harshly- “with me?” 

“I do,” Regina confirms. “Nobody but you. Always you.” 

Janis surges forward to kiss her, and it’s a little too quick and a little too desperate, but Regina presses down into it like she was expecting it. 

“You’re perfect,” she mumbles, gasping for breath as she looks up at Regina. Images spin of their future together, the life they could have. Thoughts of cookies baking in the oven-- of a little blonde baby in Regina’s arms, of making out in bed in the morning-- flash through her brain. “Fuck,” Janis whispers. “Can’t wait to marry you.” 

She doesn’t think Regina heard the words. 

She breathed them out so quickly that they were almost nonexistent. 

Regina continues to press closer, leaning down for a kiss, and Janis thinks, somewhere in the back of her mind, that she’s never felt as loved in her life as she does in this moment. 

Regina locks their lips together again, before Janis can say anything else, and there’s a tiny bit of neediness behind it as their hands begin to wander. She laughs into Janis’ mouth, rocks her hips down, pulling away for just a second to smile and ask, “So did I successfully change your mind on the cat?”

Janis chuckles, and then they’re kissing again, and everything feels perfect.

***

 _three_. 

The third time, Janis just marvels at the fact that it’s already happened thrice over. 

She’s in too deep. 

But, to be fair, this time, it’s really Regina’s fault. 

***

Regina presses further off the bed, grinding more insistently against Janis’ mouth, and if she wasn’t so extremely sure that she wanted to get her girlfriend off before her, Janis is sure that she could fall apart just from this. 

She tongues harder over Regina’s clit, pulling away to speak. “You’re so gorgeous, ‘Gina,” she whispers. “Taste so good.” 

Regina whines, scratching at Janis’ scalp and forcing her closer by her short hair. 

“ _Please_ ,” she whimpers. “More?” Janis does as she’s asked, slipping two fingers inside. Regina tightens around her immediately. “ _Yes,_ ” she moans out. “ _Jay-- please."_

Janis is breathless at the way her girlfriend is begging, her eyes roving over Regina’s bare skin, the pleasure written across her face. 

“I love you, baby,” Janis whispers. “I love you so much.” 

Regina clenches harder around her, a needy sound falling from her lips as she lets her thighs fall open completely, and it’s almost thoughtless when Janis changes the angle, moving back onto her knees while remaining between Regina’s legs until she can take hold of her girlfriend’s leg and pull her forwards so her knee is bent over her shoulder. 

It’s more difficult this way, to fuck Regina, but it’s so satisfying to see the way Regina’s face changes as she curls her fingers harder against her front wall, so perfect to hear the moans and ramblings of appreciation that keep falling from pretty pink lips. 

“You take me so good, ‘Gina,” Janis murmurs, turning her head to kiss her thigh. “Is this why you sent me that picture when I was leaving work? Did you want me to do you just like this?” 

Regina whines, her hips pressing up eagerly. She knows what she wants, what she wants to be called, and she can’t stop herself, despite the fact that she knows that in these moments she’s not really allowed to ask for things.

“Jay?” 

Janis hums in response, asking her to continue. 

“Tell me that I’m being a—“

Her voice is shy, and she hopes that it will convince her girlfriend to take mercy on her. 

It doesn’t. 

Janis pulls out as soon as the words reach her ears, raising her eyebrow. 

“I wasn’t under the impression that you were in charge,” she says, her voice rough, her eyes centering on the way Regina’s stomach is trembling. “Do you want to change things up?”

“No, no,” Regina breathes out quickly, grasping for Janis’ wrist. “That’s not what I want. I just--”

Janis clicks her tongue. 

“Regina, you know that good girls ask nicely.” 

Regina’s eyes are dark, and she’s gasping for breath so obviously that it almost makes Janis want to just stop right there and kiss Regina and make her fall apart, but at the same time, this--

This is what makes Regina drip onto the sheets. 

This is why she’s trembling. 

Janis pulls away. “Get on your stomach.” 

Regina tries to refuse. _“Babe—”_

“You heard me.” 

Regina groans, but does as she’s told, rolling over so that she’s on her front. 

Janis grins dangerously, rubbing gently over the crooked vertebrae of Regina’s spine. She pats her thighs gently. “Knees under you, baby.” 

Regina immediately gets up onto her knees, her face pressing into her hands up near the pillows. 

“Such a good girl,” Janis murmurs finally, fulfilling her girlfriend’s request, running her hand over smooth, tan skin. 

In response, Regina shivers, and Janis knows-- realizes that despite how impatient and annoyed Regina acts, she really enjoys this, enjoys the way she can let go, the way Janis makes her work for every single thing, the way Janis takes care of her. 

Janis can’t see her face, but she can see the way Regina’s blush has bloomed over her neck and shoulders, knows that she’s biting her lip in preparation, in a futile attempt to muffle any noises that try to escape her. She watches Regina’s fingers twitch, and Janis moves her hand down to Regina’s thighs. 

“Soaking, baby,” she says quietly, tracing her fingers further up. Swiftly, she presses two fingers into Regina, swiping over the spot that makes her wild, enjoying the choked moan of surprise that flies from the blonde’s throat. Janis goes slowly after that, appreciating the muscles in Regina’s back, the way more and more sounds are escaping her as she gets closer. “I love you like this,” Janis whispers, low and rough. “Love how you only want me.”

“ _Jay,”_ Regina breathes, implicitly asking for more, and, at this point, Janis can do nothing but comply. 

She speeds her pace, using her other hand to scratch gently over Regina’s back, kissing her spine. It makes Regina jerk against her, and Janis groans. “You’re so pretty.” 

Regina mumbles into her hands, her voice so quiet that Janis can’t hear. 

She eases her movements just the tiniest bit. “What’d you say, baby?”

Regina shivers once more, and she lifts her head. “You’re gonna make me… If you keep going like that, it’ll be--”

The rest of the words get cut off by a quiet moan, but Janis knows _exactly_ what Regina is saying. It’s only happened four or five times before, but Janis knows that if she moves just right with the correct pressure-- 

“Is that so?” Janis’ voice is slightly broken. Her face reddens, for once embarrassed. “You going to come all over my fingers?”

Regina whimpers against her hands, her heart in her throat. She’s shaking so obviously that Janis is finding it difficult to keep her thrusts even. Regina has let go of all the control she was trying to hold on to, and Janis swears her heart has never beat this fast.

“Are you?” Janis asks, moving her wrist faster, even as it starts to cramp up. “Are you going to be a good girl for me?”

It’s all that needs to be said. 

Regina loses herself immediately, her knees giving out as she clamps down on Janis’ fingers. She moans and swears, spilling wet and warm all over Janis’ hand as she comes. Janis smirks, moving her free hand down to circle tightly over Regina’s clit. She works her though, pressing kisses to her girlfriend’s back, over her shoulders. 

Eventually, Regina grows sensitive, and she presses herself up toward the pillows, whining as she tries to get away from the pressure. Janis understands instantly, pulling away quick and gentle, waiting for Regina to catch her breath.

“ _Holy shit,_ Jay,” she finally gasps out. “I don’t think I’ve ever come that hard.” 

“I know,” Janis laughs proudly, helping her flip onto her back. “I love making you feel good.”

“You make me feel so good,” Regina says dopily, a soft, satisfied grin on her face. “Just so you know, nothing is ever going to be better than what you just did. It’s almost like you should give up,” she declares.

“No way, baby,” Janis replies easily. “We’re gonna get married. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives trying to top that.” 

Regina’s either gotten used to Janis talking about marriage, or she’s so out of it that she doesn't care, but whatever it is, Janis is just glad that it doesn’t kill the mood. The first two times were accidents, but now, looking at Regina lying in their bed, looking happy and sated, Janis realizes how much she really _does_ want it. 

Marriage. 

It’s time to stop fooling around.

***

_four._

Of course, they fight. Everybody does. 

Mostly, it’s about inconsequential things: Janis leaving her paints open near the carpet, Regina leaving the fridge open on accident. They fight about how much they both travel, about not seeing each other for birthdays. Sometimes, Janis will get worried when Regina closes off, and, in turn, Regina will snap at her. They don’t agree on certain things like religion and God, and Janis has the tendency to take certain jokes too far when she wants to push Regina’s buttons, but Regina knows that it’s usually because her girlfriend is feeling inadequate.

All couples fight; it’s not anything strange. 

On occasion, it’s more than just mundane arguments. Like that one time that Janis got drunk off her ass the night before her and Regina’s first full day together in weeks, or the time that Regina bailed on Christmas Eve with the Sarkisians because she was on her period but then ended up deciding to invite Gretchen and Karen over so she wouldn’t be lonely. 

Even during these harder times, they’re good at forgiving each other. 

They’ll spend time talking out what’s really bothering them, hold hands across the table and discuss how they both can be better, more open. They’ll make love once they’ve forgiven each other, or sometimes, even if they haven’t. 

And only rarely, things rage into something larger than can be put out with just a little talk. 

This is one of those times. 

***

“What the _hell_ was that, Regina?” 

Regina drops her keys roughly into the bowl by their apartment door. “What was _what,_ Janis?” 

Janis can feel herself heating up, even as she tries to cool down. “How come I never knew about _Chloe?”_ She runs a hand through her hair. “How come I never knew about how she hangs onto your every word?”

“How come _you_ never knew about her?” Regina parrots back, practically spitting the words out. “I didn’t realize we were in the business of discussing our past relationships. Especially since you never wanted to before. Chloe and I dated, yes. But we’re _friends_ now.” 

Janis sneers at the words. “So you’re just going to pretend like she wasn’t undressing you with her eyes? That she wasn’t laying her stupid French accent on so thick just for you?” 

“Why are you being so weird about this?” Regina shoots back. “Why did you need to go and ruin a perfectly good night?”

“You wanted to meet up with her this week!”

“Yeah,” Regina says back incredulously. “So that we could catch up! I haven’t seen her in at least a few years.” 

“Oh, sure!” Janis scoffs back, her voice sharp. “You can’t seriously think she wanted to catch up! She just wanted to get her hands on you!” Regina gasps, ready to argue, but Janis is not nearly done. She knows she’s being a bitch, but she can’t help it, not when Chloe’s eyes were _not_ staying on Regina’s face. “Honestly, I can’t be mad at her. You were checking her out all night. I wouldn’t have been surprised if you got on your knees right there.” 

“Are you finished?” she blurts out. “You know I don’t like how jealous you get.” 

Regina is trembling, holding back tears, and Janis feels bad, but she isn’t in control of herself. 

“Oh, is this annoying for you?” Janis mocks. “It’s interesting how _you’re_ annoyed, while I had to watch your ex-girlfriend eye-fuck you as I just sat there.”

“Why are you being like this?” Regina demands. “We’re just friends, now. You have no reason to be worried.”

“Oh, I don’t?” Janis says testily. “You really seemed to enjoy the attention she was giving you, though.” 

Regina’s eyes light up with a fiery anger. 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“Don’t pretend like you don’t know.” 

“Just answer the question,” Regina snaps back. 

“All I’m saying is that she’s so obviously your kind of girl!” Janis says loudly. “The whole accent and nice clothes. The way her eyes were moving over you. I _know_ you just love when that sort of look is trained on you--” 

“Be careful about what you say next,” Regina warns, but Janis can’t stop. She’s trying to, but she can’t. 

“I bet you just hated sitting at that event with me,” she continues. “I bet you’ve thought about her--” 

“Please stop--” 

“Just tell me the truth, ‘Gina.” Janis tries to stop the words from spilling from her mouth, but it’s no use. “Did you want to take her home? Did you get turned on when she told you that you looked good?” Janis wants to clamp a hand over her mouth but it’s too late. “God knows you like those rich types better than us poor people, anyway.” 

“Janis!” Regina snaps, tears spilling from her eyes now. “Shut _the fuck_ up!” 

Immediately, Janis is pulled from her jealousy, her gaze snapping to how her girlfriend is crying. 

“Fuck, ‘Gina,” she groans. “I’m so sorry. That was--” 

“I said shut up,” Regina interrupts. “You don’t get to talk to me like that.” Her voice is shaking. “You know how hard I’m trying to be better. It’s not my fault that you got jealous.” A tiny part of Janis is proud of her girlfriend that she’s standing up for herself, and the other part of her just feels so, so guilty. “And okay, maybe I didn’t see the way she was looking at me. But you don’t get to tell me that I like ‘those rich types’ like it’s still the most important thing to me. It’s not. You know that I’m _never_ going to love anybody the way I love you. You know that nobody could love me the way you do, that nobody could make me feel safe the way you do. Don’t pretend I haven’t told you as much.” 

Janis feels wet heat behind her eyes, and suddenly, everything feels like it’s falling apart. 

“Regina--”

“You know just how to hurt me, and I don’t like it when you use it.”

“I’m sorry--” 

Janis tries to take a step forward, and in a flash, Regina’s fury is back. 

“ _And,_ just so you know-” she begins, her voice rough with tears- “if you had fucking tuned into the conversation for one minute, you would’ve heard me tell her that you were my girlfriend and talk about how awesome you are for that _whole_ time!”

Janis slumps against the wall immediately. 

“Babe,” she mumbles. “I’m sorry. I was so wrong to--” 

“Why are you even being like this?” Regina asks again. “You know that I don’t want anybody but you. Why can’t you just know that?”

“I just want you to be mine,” Janis says quietly, looking down at the floor. 

“I am yours, Jay,” Regina replies, her voice still shaking. “I will _always_ be yours. I will always want to be. But I hate having to prove it. Maybe you should try harder to understand that.” 

“Maybe you should just marry me.” 

Regina stumbles back at the words. 

“Wow, Janis,” she laughs, hard and rough. “That’s mature. Really. Good job,” she bites. “Please sleep on the couch tonight. I don’t want to talk to you.”

Regina doesn’t wait for Janis to answer, striding over to the bedroom loudly and slamming the door shut. 

***

It takes them two days. Two days for Regina to allow Janis to talk to her properly, to allow her to say she’s sorry. Two days before Regina leaves their bedroom for more than just breakfast before work and dinner after. Janis knows she fucked up really badly. 

It’s hard. 

It’s ugly, and it’s complex. There’s a lot to talk about, a lot to unpack about Janis’ insecurities and Regina’s lack of awareness, about how they can stop these sorts of things before they happen. 

Janis says she’s sorry a thousand times in thirty minutes, and finally Regina stops her, a tentative smile finally quirking up on her lips. 

“Just don’t say stupid shit like that,” she says. “You know how much I love you. You know it’s always been you.” 

She kisses Janis right then and there, and Janis feels like she’s two seconds from crying, but she’s also just _so damn glad_ that Regina is giving her another chance. Regina drags her towards the bedroom, and Janis is just _so_ in love when Regina flips them and straddles her thighs. They lay themselves bare, trying to claw back to the normalcy of being young and in love, and, eventually, they get there. 

Still, Janis sees how fragile they are. 

She can’t keep doing this. She has to start being serious. 

***

( _one.)_

When Janis gets up, it’s still pretty early. Regina is sleeping, resting gently on her back since it was hurting last night. She’s wearing Janis’ boxers, and they’re falling down her hips slightly as she continues to rest peacefully. 

Janis marvels at how beautiful Regina looks and thinks that maybe this is the day where she’ll finally ask her what she’s been wanting to for real. 

She kisses the blonde’s cheek, and, immediately, Regina begins to stir, a smile broadening across her face. She blinks her sweet, blue eyes open, turning to look at her girlfriend. 

“Morning,” Janis whispers, her voice still full of sleep. 

Regina pulls on her shirt in response, silently telling her that she wants to continue wasting the day away. It is Saturday, after all. 

“I know you’re tired,” Janis laughs out softly. “But we have somewhere we need to be today.” 

“We do?” Regina asks curiously, her eyes wide as she looks at the brunette. “I don’t remember any commitments on the calendar.”

“That’s because it’s a surprise,” Janis says smartly, kissing Regina’s forehead. 

“You know I don’t like surprises.” Regina pouts up at her, implicitly asking for it to be spoiled, but Janis shakes her head. 

“You’ll like this one,” she replies confidently, kissing the blonde’s cheek again. “I’ll make you coffee and breakfast, okay? You can take a shower first.” 

***

It’s a longer drive than Janis thought. 

Every time they make a turn, Regina tries to guess where they’re going, and every time, Janis just shakes her head. So far, she’s guessed the movies, a swim, and, now, a lunch date. 

“If we were going on a date, you should have told me to get dressed up,” she complains. 

“It’s not a date,” Janis replies, grinning. “But I do love your outfit.” 

Regina snorts quietly, adjusting the hem of her flowery dress. 

“You like everything I wear.” 

Janis winks at her, and Regina loses her breath, just like every time. 

They’ve just passed the high school, which means they’re almost out of town. Janis makes a left turn, beaming when she watches Regina finally realize where they’re going as she sees the awning that says _Northshore Animal Rescue est. 2004._

Regina gasps, looking between her girlfriend and the words.

“You’re being serious right now?” 

“So serious,” Janis says, biting her lip to hold back her smile. “Let’s get a cat.” 

Regina’s eyes light up with excitement, and it’s so adorable that Janis pulls out her phone as quick as she can to take a picture. 

“Really?” Regina asks again, disbelief coloring her voice. “You and me? Us?” 

“I mean, yeah,” Janis says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world, and Regina leans over to kiss her. 

“I love you so much,” she whispers. “So _fucking_ much.” 

“I love you too, ‘Gina.” She looks at her girlfriend’s face. “Are those _tears_?” she laughs out. 

“No!” Regina insists, even as she reaches up to wipe at her eyes. 

“They are!” Janis teases, pressing forward to kiss her cheek as she chuckles quietly. 

“You’re just so sweet,” Regina admits quietly. “I can’t believe that you’re mine forever.” 

Janis’ heart pounds, and she takes Regina’s hand, squeezing gently. 

“That’s right, baby,” Janis murmurs. “Forever. I want it all with you. The house on the lake. The deck. The cats-“ she hesitates for barely a second- “and the kids too. All of it. The first step is right now.” 

***

Sammy is a six-month-old, gray Scottish Fold, and Regina barely has to hear his story before she decides that he’s the one. According to the people that brought him to the shelter, his mother was nowhere to be found, and they had pulled him from where he was curled up in a box of old clothes somebody had left by the side of the road.

As soon as Regina hears that part, she knows they have to take him home. 

“He must love clothes,” she says dramatically, laughing when he walks over to her curiously, looking up at her. “I want him.” 

Janis is still a little conflicted, but then she sees the absolute joy on Regina’s face and quickly agrees. 

In a flurry, they sign the papers to pick Sammy up next week, and Regina has never looked more excited. 

***

Regina is sitting across from Janis at the table, teriyaki sauce caught on the corner of her mouth. 

It’s dinner time; it took them a little while to get home from the rescue, since the traffic got bad, and then it was even harder to get out of bed an hour ago after Regina had insistently pressed Janis down into the mattress, whispering about how she wanted to properly thank her for how good she is to her. 

Regina ended up showing her gratitude multiple times.

And now, they’re at their favorite Japanese restaurant, talking about work and their future and college. 

_Why don’t I just ask her now?_ Janis thinks.

“And so on that first night, we watched the Bachelor for like _ten_ hours-- is there something on my face, Jay?”

Janis laughs quietly. 

“Yes, there is,” she says, using her thumb to wipe it away gently. “But you’re also just really pretty.” 

Regina looks over at her shyly. 

“You’ve been acting kind of funny these past few days. Why is that?”

Janis swallows, wanting to avert her eyes, but instead, she tries to be as nonchalant as possible. “Funny? Calling my gorgeous girlfriend pretty means I’m acting odd?”

Regina giggles, shaking her head. 

“You know what I mean,” she replies. “I don’t know. You just seem unfocused, like you’re just super into me or whatever.” 

“Well, I _am_ super into you,” Janis agrees. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be together.”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Regina says, searching for more now that she can tell that Janis is avoiding the question. “I just can’t tell what you’re thinking.”

Instead of getting on one knee, Janis quiets her brain, meeting her girlfriend’s eyes. 

“Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”

She tries to keep her voice sweet, easy, but there’s something that feels different about the way the words fit between them in their tiny booth. Regina seems to feel the difference as well, biting her lip as she places her chopsticks down, placing her elbows on the table and folding her hands so that she can rest her chin on them. 

“I think about that too,” she says timidly. “Like, I can’t believe everything worked out the way it did.”

Janis grabs her hand across the table. 

“And what way is that?”

She’s digging; Regina knows it, so she just sighs, taking in a breath. 

“All of this felt so far out of reach, once upon a time,” she admits. “Even when I moved back to town, you were with somebody else, and I hadn’t really… come out yet. But every time I saw you, I felt something. And my brain would start thinking about possible futures and calculating the probability of them occurring, and I would end up deciding that I wasn’t worth it. Back then, I didn’t know all of this was possible.” 

“Hey,” Janis says softly, using her free hand to brush over Regina’s cheek. “You are worth it.” 

“I love you,” Regina replies automatically. 

It makes Janis want to pull the box from her jacket pocket, but she forces herself to take a pause. It has to be memorable, so instead, she proposes an idea. 

“Let’s go to one more spot before we call it a night.”

***

The field looks exactly how Janis remembers it from that night they spent together. 

It’s like it’s been frozen in time, the grass still as green as ever, _Northshore_ painted in blue and gold across one endzone, and the lights on even though it’s summer. Janis guesses that people come to play here all the time, and since the school is owned by the town, Principal Duvall thought it would be a nice thing to do. She’s never been more grateful. 

Regina tries to jump on her back, and Janis rolls her eyes but extends her arms out anyway to hold her girlfriend’s thighs and help her lock her ankles around her waist. 

“Do you remember the grocery store?” Regina asks randomly as she shrieks in delight when Janis begins to run across the field, gently trying to jostle her off. 

“Of course I remember,” Janis says. “You were only buying lettuce! You were such a weirdo.”

Regina gasps in offense, trying to dismount from her piggy back ride at the words, and Janis barely has time to flip them round to protect Regina’s spine before they’re falling: Janis onto her front, and Regina down on top of her. 

“Owie,” Janis whines, rolling over, silently asking her girlfriend to get off of her. 

“Oh, baby,” Regina teases. “Are you hurt?”

“Yes, very much,” Janis grumbles, playing along as Regina still refuses to move. She does her best to flip over onto her back, but the blonde holds firm. 

“Am I stronger than you?” she laughs

“Of course not,” Janis replies, finding it in her to flip them gently so that she’s pinning Regina to the grass. “I’m stronger.”

“You aren’t.”

“I just proved it!”

“I let you--” 

“God, marry me.” 

Regina’s mouth falls open. And then closes again. 

Her blonde hair is flared out beautifully against the green of the field, and her blue eyes are wide as Janis feels around in her jean jacket for the precious cargo, pulling back slightly so that Regina can sit up even as Janis still straddles her hips. 

Janis’ lungs grab for a breath, flipping the box open. 

“Regina George, will you marry me?”

Regina continues to look at her for a moment, so overwhelmed that she can’t say a thing, until finally--

“Of course Janis Sarkisian would carry something that important in her jean jacket.” 

She doesn’t even get to answer, since Regina rushes forward for a kiss, rolling until she’s on top again and making the box fall from Janis’ grasp. Their kisses before have been perfect, but there’s something so clearly different in this one than any other. It all feels hot and cold at the same time, and Regina is holding Janis’ face so delicately that the brunette is almost convinced that she’s porcelain for just one moment. Regina’s hands have fisted in the collar of her jacket, and finally, Janis breaks away, unable to stop herself from asking what’s on her mind, just to be sure. 

“So you do mean that you--”

“Yes.” Regina rolls her eyes. “Yes, Jay. I’ll marry you.” 

“Great. Good. Yeah, good,” Janis says dubiously, reaching up for another peck. 

“Nerd,” Regina mumbles, complying. “What did you think I’d say?”

“I liked my chances,” Janis whispers into it. “Didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous.” 

***

As soon as they get back in the car, Regina opens the glove compartment and pulls a small velvet box from it. 

“Marry me?”

“Excuse me?” Janis asks, surprised. 

“I was worried you’d never ask me!” Regina laughs out. “One of us needed to bite the bullet.” 

Janis stammers, confusion written across her face. 

“But how long have you had it?”

“A few months,” Regina confesses. “I’m surprised you didn’t find it.”

“You know I’m unobservant,” Janis replies automatically, making the blonde grin. 

Regina pops the box open. 

“You didn’t answer my question. Marry me, Jay?”

“You’re so stupid,” Janis replies, her pulse going a mile a minute. 

“I’ll have you know I’ve graduated top of my class from every school I’ve ever attended,” Regina says back, as quick as a snap. 

“I love you so, so, fucking much.”

“I love you too,” Regina replies automatically. “But still, you haven’t answered--”

“Babe, of course I’ll marry you,” Janis interrupts, kissing her cheek.

“Okay, good,” Regina says smugly. 

“I asked you first!” Janis protests, even as she takes the ring out and puts it on her finger. 

“Yeah, well it sure took you long enough!” Regina snarks. 

“I’m only marrying you because I already said yes,” Janis teases with a fake groan. 

“Well same,” Regina agrees. “A commitment’s a commitment, right?”

“Right.”

Janis can’t stop smiling. Today was the day after all. 

The future is coming faster than she ever planned. And, for the first time, she can't wait. 

**Author's Note:**

> did you enjoy this fic? if so, what was your favorite part? it would be great if you could let me know down below!
> 
> it makes my day when i get the little ao3 emails saying i got kudos or that i got a new comment, so consider doing that to make me smile :)
> 
> as always, i'm @ifthebookdoesntsell on tumblr.


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